Rama-Navami, Prabhupada: …Rama-Navami, the birthday of Lord Ramacandra Bhagavan. In the Brahma-samhita it is mentioned, ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan nanavataram akarod bhuvanesu kintu krsnah svayam samabhavat paramah puman yo govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami [Bs. 5.39] Govinda, Krsna, is the adi-purusa, original Personality of Godhead. In the Bhagavad-gita Krsna says, mattah parataram nanyat [Bg. 7.7]. Aham sarvasya prabhavah. In other sastras also, like Srimad-Bhagavatam, it is said, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. There are many expansions of Krsna, but the original person, krsnas tu…, ete camsa-kalah pumsah krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [Bhag. 1.3.28] So He is existing with His expansions. Lord Ramacandra is also one of the expansions. Ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan [Bs. 5.39]. All these expansions are existing eternally. There is no inferiority or superiority. All the expansions are of the same potency, same power. The example is given like this candle. One candle is now burned and you can get another candle burned, you can get third candle burned, ignite. But all the candles are of the same power. The difference is that one you can call the original candle and the others you can call the second candle, the third candle, the fourth candle. But so far the candle’s power is concerned, there is no difference. Purnasya purnam adaya purnam evavasisyate. Krsna, or the Supreme Lord, can expand Himself, eko bahu syama, in millions and trillions of forms, but all of them are of the same potency. But the potencies are sometimes exhibited according to the time and circumstance. So on this auspicious day of appearance day of Lord Ramacandra, we are taking this opportunity of foundation of the cornerstone of our temple in this Bombay center. And it is very kind of Mrs. Nair, A.B. Nair, that she has given us this chance along with her husband. So, so far we are concerned, we are preachers. We are preaching all over the world. We don’t require any palatial building or very comfortable apartment. But because it is a preaching center, in order to invite respectable persons, we require nice building, nice temple. Just like Rupa Gosvami, our predecessor acarya, he left his ministership, government post and became a mendicant. He was living underneath a tree every night. Not permanently underneath a tree: tonight one tree, next night another tree. But when he was approached by King Mansingh, the commander-in-chief of Emperor Akbar… In those days rich men, big men, they were God conscious, and they wanted to do something for God’s service. So King Mansingh approached Rupa Gosvami if he could do any service. So Rupa Gosvami, he was living under the tree, so what service he expected from King Mansingh? He said that “If you want to do some service, do it for Krsna.” So he advised him to construct a temple at Vrndavana. Those who have visited Vrndavana, that temple is still existing in broken state. It was seven story. The four stories have been broken by Aurangzeb. But whatever So this is the position of the human society, not only in India but in other parts of the world. They are gradually losing the interest in God consciousness. This is not very good sign. So our, this present movement is to invoke the dormant God consciousness all over the world. Krsna consciousness means God consciousness. When I started this mission, registered this name, International Society for Krsna Consciousness, some of our friends said that “Why don’t you make it ‘International Society for God Consciousness?’” (end)
Cornerstone Laying
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Bombay, April 1, 1974, (new98)